Mystic Mountain

By Bob Ross

Materials

Bob Ross Brushes:

1" Foliage Brush
2" Landscape Brush
#3 Fan Brush
#2 Script Liner Brush
#5 Painting Knife

Bob Ross Oil Colors:

Alizarin Crimson
Bright Red
Cadmium Yellow
Mountain Mixture
Phthalo Blue
Sap Green
Titanium White
Van Dyke Brown

Bob Ross Supplies:

Liquid White
Odorless Thinner
Canvas 12x16, 16x20 or 18x24

Nice to Have:
Bob Ross Plexiglass Palette
Bob Ross Thinner Container and Screen

Canvas Preparation:
Start by using the 1" brush to cover the entire canvas with a thin,
even coat of Liquid White. With long horizontal and vertical strokes,
work back and forth to ensure an even distribution of paint on the
canvas. Do NOT allow the Liquid White to dry before you begin.

Step 1
Sky
Load the 1" brush with Phthalo Blue and paint the sky with criss-cross strokes.
Add the water with long horizontal strokes. Then, use long horizontal strokes to
blend the entire canvas. With the fan brush and circular strokes, paint the
clouds with Titanium White. Blend out just the base of the clouds with a clean,
dry 1" brush, then use sweeping upward strokes to lightly blend and 'fluff' the
clouds.
Step 2
Underpainting the Mountain
With firm pressure, shape just the top edge of the mountain with the knife and
Mountain Mixture. Then, use the knife to remove the excess paint. Use the 1"
brush to 'pull' the paint down toward the base, completing the entire mountain
shape.

Highlighting the Mountain

With the knife and Titanium White, add snow to the right sides of the mountain
peaks. Paying close attention to angles, use so little pressure that the paint
'breaks'.

Step 3
Add snow to the shadowed sides of the peaks with a mixture of Titanium White
and Phthalo Blue. Tap the base of the mountain with the 1" brush then gently
lift upward to create the illusion of mist. With Titanium White on the 1" brush,
use circular strokes to add the clouds at the base of the mountain. Lightly blend
with circular strokes.
Step 4
Foothills
Load the 1" brush to a chiseled edge with Mountain Mixture, White and Green.
Holding the brush vertically, tap down to create the small trees at the base of
the mountain. Use vertical strokes to reflect the color into the water, then lightly
brush across. Cut in the water lines with a small roll of Liquid White on the
knife.

Step 5
Evergreens
The evergreen trees are made with the fan brush and Mountain Mixture. Load
the brush to a chiseled edge, hold the brush vertically and touch the canvas to
create the center line of the tree then use one corner of the brush to form the
top branches. Working back and forth apply more pressure as you move down
the tree, allowing the branches to become larger as you near the base.
Use Mountain Mixture on the 1" brush to underpaint the grassy area at the base
of the trees.
Reverse the brush to reflect this dark tree color into the water. Use the 1" brush
to pull the reflections straight down, then lightly brush across.
Use a mixture of Van Dyke Brown and Titanium White on the knife to add the
tree trunks. Highlight the evergreens and grassy areas with the fan brush he
leaf trees and bushes with 1" brush using various mixtures of Yellow and
Green, Crimson and Red. Be careful not to cover all of the dark base color.
Again, reverse the brush to reflect the highlights into the water. Use the 1"
brush to pull down the reflections then lightly brush across.
Use Van Dyke Brown on the knife to add the banks along the water's edge. Be
very careful of the angles here. Add White to the Brown to highlight the banks
with the knife, applying so little pressure that the paint 'breaks', creating the
impression of small rocks and stones. With a small roll of Liquid White on the
long edge of the knife, cut-in the water lines and ripples.
Step 6
Foreground
Using the dark tree mixture, underpaint the large foreground evergreens with
the fan brush.

Step 7
Underpaint the foreground leaf trees with the 1" brush.
Step 8
Use a mixture of Van Dyke Brown and Titanium White on the knife to add the
tree trunks.
Highlight the foreground trees and bushes with various mixtures of Yellow,
Green, Alizarin Crimson and Bright Red. Again, working in layers, create
individual trees and bushes; be very careful not to destroy all of your dark
underpaint.

Step 9
Path
Use Van Dyke Brown on the knife to add the foreground path with short,
horizontal strokes. Highlight the path by adding White and Yellow to the Brown.
Again, use so little pressure on the knife that the paint 'breaks'.
Step 10
Final Touches
Use the point of the knife to scratch in small sticks and twigs. Then, use the
liner brush and very thin paint to sign your painting with pride!

You are free to print this project from our website as long as it is for your personal painting use only and not for further copying or reproduction.